THE LATE MONSIGNOR COLEMAN.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1997, 21 January 1890, Page 4

THE LATE MONSIGNOR COLEMAN.

The Eight Eov. Mousignor Ooleiaan, long career of ruefulness terminated to palrieoly and unexpectedly on Wednesday m rfling, will long be remembered in this com munity with loving and affectionate regard. Hj* high attaiments, gonial manner, liberal mind, and generous disposition endeared him to all, and his sudden death will cause a feeling of profound sorrow, A mere catalogue of the positions and offices that have been held by Mongignor Coleman would show that nis life has been one of service and duty in a very high degree, but would still be only vaguely suggestive of the work ho has done, and of the ir fluenoo he has exercised. During his long residence in hia diocese ho has made very many personal friends, rot a few of whem are outside the Church of which be ws* a loye.l, devoted) and honored servant, and the intelligence o? his recent elevation to the distinguished rank of Monsign.r domestic prelate to the Pope—was received wit!' much satisfaction. Mondgnor William Coleman, who *s better known as Archdeacon, or Father Coleman, wks born on the backs of the Bleokwatar, County Waterford, Ireland, between Lismoie and Fermoy, in 1830, and was 59 years of ago at the time of his death. As a boy he was educated at the seminary of the Vincentian Brothers in Cork, and thence proceeded to Maynooth, where he highly distinguished himself in bis ecclesiastical • tudies. Being ordained when he arrived a he canonical age, he held sever*! curacies in the diocese of Oloyne, and sub*< quently warappointed to Bally fr.aoada, in County Cork, where he was parish priest when Dr Moran was translated from the Cape of Good Hope to Dunedin. Knowing that' the bishop wa* much perplexed to obtain clergy to aooom paay him to so distant a part of the world, Father Coleman, in a spirit of complete selLsaorifioa, gave up home, kindred, conn* and very excellent prospsots, volunteering to aoompany the bishop, whose right-hand man he ha* been ever since his arrival in 1871. Appointed Vicar-general almost immediately, important work in connection with the organ! ofttion of the ow diocese was at once throw” updn Father Ool«man, and discharged win. be ability and energy which were hi* characteristics, la 1874 hs was despatoha ll by the bishop on a mitssion to the old country •n order to provide for the increasing needof the diocese, in which mission he was eminently successful, returning with several young priests and nuns of the teaching order whose educational labours are so highly appre-ai-ted* Iq October 1876, Father Coleman wh ß appointed to the charge of the Oamarn district, in which he has laboured since that dare, having only within the last year or two nad tin- assistance of a our**e. In 1882 the * *hop created F-.ihei Co -man arohueacon r '\ GJ-’osse bei- g the mVneal honour iu to c.. far , and on his recent visit. Homt: u . ,-ppear to have made such

P'-sse-ara-h.. ' ’ proper quarte, that the cbeeaco" dvviced to the dignity of a ■ -nsigno ■ \ix.- a p p„i ;ted a dome.-,: jo chaplain ui iße Pope, iha rank conferred oeing only J ferior to the episcopate, and placing him among the prelates of the church. u showing the great esteem in which Monig. -jf Coleman woe held by hit bishop and co-workers, we may mention that the business of the sy-,od of the church has been uu-;'end*d.

... oe oieray of tbediocose met on tuj Lordship Bishop Moran presiding, but mly business he discharge of which was imperative was transacted, and the syned was tnen adjourned, after unanimously adopting the following resolution—“ That this synod denre to place on record their heartfelt regret at the death of Monsignor Coleman, and cannot adequately express their sense of the great loss the diocese has sustained by the death ef this distinguished and popular ecclesiastic.” The will of Monsignor Coleman was read on Wednesday by the lawyer who drew it up, -vod we un aratand that h.O hag l©(fc ever> shilling he had in the world to the church to whose service his life has beee so unreservedly devoted. —Otago Daily Times. The funeral took place en Thursday, and among those who followed the late Prelate’s remains to the cemetery were Jaws, Freethinkers, and Frotestmt members of Parlr, ■ meat. Sir Robert Stout was among those who attended,